Heney b



(No Model.)

H. B. REARDON.

COMBINED DESK RULEE AND CHECK GUTTER.

No. 386,718. Patented July Z4, 1888.y

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N. PETERS. Plwlmhngmpner, wad-ingle". D. c.

Nrran raras Farmer HENRY B. REARDON, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO W. II. H. SVENSON, OF SAME PLACE.

COlVlBlNED DESKGRULER AND CHECKQCUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 386,718, dated July 24, 1888. Application filed May l, 1888. Serial NeT/2,1104. (No model.)

T0 all wzfmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. RERDON, of Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Desk-Rulers and OheclcCutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thc same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which `form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in desk-rulers and check-cutters.

rIhe object of my invention is to provide a combined ruler and check-cutter, which shall be of great service and usefulness to oflicemen, accountants, and all others having use for a ruler; which can be quickly and easily converted from a common desk-ruler to a cheekcutter; which, after serving the purpose of a check-cutter, can be readily folded to its normal form of a common desk-ruler, and which shall be extremely simple and cheap in construction and first cost, of great strength and durability, and exceedingly neat and symmetrical in appearance.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, more fully described hereiuafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan of the combined ruler and cutter, showing the auxiliary or supple mentary pivoted arm or cutter, in dotted lines, swung outward from the body portion or main ruler to the position it assumes when employed to tear the checks, also, showing a checkin the act of being torn. Fig. 2 is a similar View, illustrating the tearing or pivoted arm swung outwardly and clamped in the position it assumes when the ruler is employed for cutting purposes, the end of the pivotcd arm being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail bottom plan of a portion of the main ruler and auxiliary pivoted arm. Fig. e is a cross section on plane of y y, Fig. 1, when the auxiliary arm is folded on the main ruler; and Fig. 5 is a partial lon gitudinal section on line x 5v, Fig. 2, when the parts are adjusted for checkcutting.

In the drawings, the referencedetter A indicates a main ruler or body portion, of any desirable, well-known, or convenient shape or form, and preferably provided with beveled cutting or ruling edges ou each longitudinal side, as shown. Upon its upper face the main portion is cut away or formed with a reduced portion, a, which preferably, although not 6c necessarily, is about onehalf as wide and deep as the main portion of thc ruler, and extends from one end of the same a portion of the distance to the opposite end, and is adapted to receive and form the seat for a supplementary or auxiliary arm, '13, provided at one end with a projecting tongue or tenou, b, extending into and pivoted in a mortise at the inner end of the recess u., in the main portion of the ruler between its ends, to allow the free end of the 7o arm a free lateral swing to and away from its seat in the main ruler in an are of about ninety degrees.

The longitudinal side ot' the ruler on which the cut-away portion or seat (i is located is not provided with a beveled cutting or ruling edge opposite said recess, but from the inner end ot' the recess to the 'opposite end of the ruler said longitudinal side is provided with the ruling or cutting edge a', as shown.

At the outer end of the seat or recess a the end of the ruler is notched or cut away, as shown at c, and is preferably provided with the laterally and outwardly projecting pin C, for the purpose hereinafter to appear.

The laterallyswinging arm B is ofsuch form and shape as to fold snugly into the recess or seat (t, with its outer surface flush with the surface ofthe main portion. at top, bottom, and end, so that when the arm is folded into 9o its seat the article is in the forni of a common ruler, and can be put to all uses to which such an article is applied. On its front longitudinal edge the swinging arm is provided with a beveled cutting or ruling edge, b', which eX- 95 tends downward, so that its lower surface will be flush with the lower surface of the main portion of the ruler. 'Ihus when the arm is folded into its seat its edge b will form a continuation of the edge a of the main portion, 10o and the article can be used as a common ruler, and when the arm is swung outwardly at right angles to the main portion its cutting-edge will form a right angle with the cuttiugedge a', and will lie fiat upon the surface of the check or other article to be ruled or torn in a straight line, and its lower side will be in the same plane with the lower side of the main portion. At its free end the arm is provided with a block, d, or downwardlyextending por tion, which tits into said notch in the end of the ruler, and is provided with an aperture into which the pin or lug C fits, whereby the arm is held firmlyiu position when folded into its seat and is prevented from up-anddown movement.

A spring-catch, E, is located on the upper face of the seat or recess a, at the inner end -of the same, and is provided with a head, e,norV

mally bearing upward beyond the surface of the seat, and said catch is adapted to firmly hold the arm B in position at right angles to the main ruler when the article is adjusted for check-cutting or the like, and when it is desired to fold the arm to its normal position in its seat in the ruler the spring-catch can be depressed by the linger and the arm swung over it, thereby holding it depressed, and when the arm is swung out the catch will automatically spring up the moment the arm releases it,and its head or shoulder e will bear against the inner side of the arm B and hold it in position to act as a cutter in conjunction with the edge a of the ruler, the main portion 0r ruler be` ing provided with a socket or recess in which the head of the spring-catch fits when de. pressed by the laterally-swinging arm.

The usefulness and great advantages of such an article, as hereinA described and set forth, are obvious to all persons using check-books or'the like, and especially to accountants, as this article, on account of its great simplicity and in view of the`fact that itis a ruler that can be readily and easily converted into a check-cutter, or vice versa, will readily recommend itself to all such persons.

It is obvious that the herein-described article is not confined to use as a check-cutter, but can be used as a ruler for drawing lines at right angles to certain planes, and can be put to many other uses by oftice-men, draftsmen, Sta-such as a paper-cutter, T-square, &c.

It is evident that the cutting or ruling edges of the article herein set forth can be provided with suitable graduated scales or the like, as shown in the drawings. It is also evident that numerous slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the various parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the precise construction herein set forth, but consider myself entitled to all such changes as fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a ruler, of an arm one end of which isI pivoted|` to the ruler between its ends to allow the free end of the arm to swing laterally, said arm being adapted to fold upon the ruler with its bottom surface iiush with the bottom surface of the ruler, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a ruler provided with a seat or recess, of an arm pivoted at one end to the ruler at the inner end of said seat, whereby the free end of the arm can be swung outwardly, for the purpose set forth, or can be folded into said seat with its surface Hush with the surface of the ruler, substantially as described.

3. Thecombination, with a ruler provided with a seat, and a ruling or cutting edge ex tending from said seat to one end of the ruler, of an arm pivoted to the ruler and adapted'to swing to and away from said seat, and provided with a ruling or cutting edge adapted to form a continuation of said edge of the ruler in the same plane or at an angle to the plane of said edge, as set forth. y

4. The combination, with a ruler provided with a seat or recess, and a ruling or cutting edge extending from said seat to one end of the ruler, of an arm pivoted at one end to the ruler and provided upon its outer side with a ruling or cutting edge to lie flush with the paper or other surface and adapted to form a continuation of said edge of the ruler whether in thesame plane or atan angle, said arm being adapted to fold into said seat or swing laterally, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a ruler provided with a seat or recess in its upper face, and a ruling or cutting edge extending from said recess to one end of the ruler, of an arm pivoted at one end to the ruler at the inner end of said seat, whereby its free end can swing to and away from said seat, said arm being provided with a ruling or cutting edge forming a continuation of said edge of the ruler, and a spring-catch located in said seat aud adapted to removably hold the arm extended at right angles to the ruler, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a ruler provided with a seat or recess in its upper face, and a ruling or cutting edge extending from said seat to one end of the ruler, and a pin or lug extending laterally from the outer end of said seat, of an arm pivoted at one end to the ruler at the inner end of said seat, to allow its free end to swing laterally to and away from said seat, said arm being provided with a downwardly-extending edge to form a continuation of said edge of the ruler, and with a block or piece at its outer end to receive said pin or lug when the arm is folded in its seat, and a springcatch to removably4 hold the arm in its position at right angles to the ruler, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. REARDON.

Witnesses:

0. E. DUFFY,

GEO. D. Dur.`-

ICO 

